Today I give way again, not to the usual second, or even third generation, heiresses of established family business conglomerates, or political dynasties, or outstanding women professionals from various fields such as lawyering, accounting, or C-Suite executives, but perhaps typical of other, far more numerous, successful, but less known, women in power who have gotten to where they are today by dint of sheer hard work, dogged determination and entrepreneurial savvy, such as Rosemarie “Ut” Rafael who shares with us her views of Women Empowerment.

Women empowerment

By Rosemarie “Ut” Rafael

My personal journey in women empowerment started when I became the President of Women Business council Philippines 3 years ago, intersecting the realms of empowerment, community sustainability, economic strategies and digital literacy. We closely work with the Department of Trade and Industry and mirror their goals for the MSME sector.

To set the stage, let us begin with some statistics.

According to various global reports, when women are empowered, i.e., supported, encouraged, raising status and allowed to make their own decisions, they re-invest up to 90 percent of their income into their families and communities. Empowered women can contribute significantly to a community’s well-being and prosperity. When women have access to economic opportunities and digital literacy, the positive effects ripple throughout their communities, fostering sustainable growth.

Women empowerment is not merely a catchphrase; it is a fundamental concept that gives women the tools and opportunities to make decisions and shape their destinies. Empowered women are more likely to participate in community development, advocate for social change, and nurture the future generation. Their influence is pivotal for community sustainability.

This is why economic empowerment is a cornerstone of women’s empowerment. By enabling women to become financially self-reliant, we empower them to take control of their lives and contribute to the welfare of their communities. This empowerment can take many forms, from entrepreneurship to access to credit to vocational training. These strategies enable women to take control of their financial well-being. For example, Women led businesses are known to re-invest significant earnings back into their communities, creating a multiplier effect.

Let me share a success story on collaborative efforts: Anna, a single mother from a rural community we have supported at Airspeed, attended vocational training online and started her own food business. Not only did she improve her family ’s financial situation but also employed other women from her community boosting the local economy. Support of different organizations, public and private, can build a sustainable project.

Another example of which is the Pangasinan LGU (local government unit) which partnered with 10 constituents for a year by mentoring, coaching and supplying resources and tools. A roadmap that brought them to Manila Fame (where world class products are showcased) after 40 years of not being able to do it.

Another example is the trade fair we organized where the weaver was discouraged from coming to Manila due to repairs needed on their house after an earthquake. We encouraged this weaver to come and provide support that enabled more than USD 4000 in sales in 3 days!

There are countless success stories of women who have thrived economically and in turn positively impacted their communities through partnerships and collaboration. There really is a need for a growth mindset of building confidence and courage to move forward.

Of course, challenges persist, including gender discrimination, limited access to resources and societal norms. To address such, the Women Business Council Philippines collaborates with different institutions mainly DTI to reach out to these sectors outside Metro Manila through digital transformation webinars, upskilling of people, access to finance and markets.

My company Airspeed has also set up an SME program called PINASPEED, created to help in the logistics, marketplace and access to finance through BDO, SB Corporation and China Bank Savings. Our company’s motto “Making It Happen” says it all for what we are trying to do.

Women empowerment is not merely a catchphrase; it is a fundamental concept that gives women the tools and opportunities to make decisions and shape their destinies.

Let us not forget that when we empower women, we empower communities, nations and the world. It is a collective effort, and we must ensure that every woman has the chance to unleash her full potential and sustain her community. Building businesses so we can be sustainable and scalable, building communities so we can be engaging, and building lives which is the most important of all.

Until next week… OBF!

For comments, email bing_matoto@yahoo.com.